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Biography
Gustavo Martinez is passionate about connecting with communities through ceramics and indigenous traditions and practices that align with the natural cycles and forces of nature. Working as a production consultant at a ceramic water filter factory in Guatemala, reminded Gustavo of the importance of caring for water. Martinez traveled to the Usambara Mountains of Tanzania with La Paz International Foundation to build a ceramic kiln in a woman’s pottery village. That same year he experienced the amazing journey of summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro. Experiences such as these heavily influence Gustavo’s artwork and world outlook.
Martinez was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and grew up in the south bay of California. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from San Jose State University with a minor in Mexican American Studies. He achieved a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Washington in 2011 and was awarded the Parnassus Teaching with Excellence award.
Martinez has taught ceramics at higher education institutions in the Bay Area, greater Seattle area, El Paso Museum of Art, Palo Alto Art Center, and has been part of the summer faculty at the Sitka Fine Arts Camp in Sitka, Alaska where he has taught ceramics to middle and high school students. Gustavo Martinez currently resides between San Jose, California, El Paso, Texas, and Tacoma, Washington.
Curriculum Vitae
EDUCATION
2011 MFA: University of Washington, Seattle WA - 3D4M Ceramic / Glass / Sculpture
2008 BFA: San José State University, San José CA - Spatial Art, Minor: Mexican American Studies
HONORS AND AWARDS/GRANTS/SCHOLARSHIPS
2024 Congressionally Funded Public Sculpture, Artist-In-Residence Cabrillo College,Aptos, CA
2016 Southeast Alaska Arts Teacher Initiative (SAATI) Artist Residency Grant, Sitka, AK
2014 Pilchuck Glass School Scholarship, Stanwood, WA
2011 University of Washington Parnassus Teaching with Excellence Award
2010 Belle Foundation for Cultural Development Individual Grant, San José, CA
2009 Jurors Award, Sylvia Wolf- Jacob Lawrence Gallery University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Chihuly Scholarship, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
RELATED WORK EXPERIENCE
Foothill-De Anza College
10/2023- Present - Faculty, Visual Arts , Cupertino, Los Altos, CA
San Jose City College
3/2024- Present- Faculty, Visual Arts, San Jose, CA
Green River College
4/2012- 4/2019 - Faculty, Fine Art- Ceramics Department, Auburn, WA
1/2012- 6/2012 -Instructional Laboratory Technician Ceramics Department
University of Washington
2014 Summer - Visiting Artist/Instructor, 3D4M Ceramics, Intro. to Wheel Throwing, Seattle, WA
Palo Alto Art Center
2/2023 - Present- Education Department, Teaching Artist, Palo Alto, CA
Chihuahuan Desert Residency
1/2020 - 12/2022- Self Guided Borderland Culture and Desert Ceremonies, El Paso, TX
El Paso Museum of Art
2/2020 - 10/2022- Education Department, Teaching Artist, El Paso, TX
Bellwether Festival 2021 - Bellevue Botanical Gardens
Wheel Throwing demo, hands on sculpture workshop, Bellevue, WA
Sitka Fine Arts Camp
2015/16/17/18/19 Summer- Faculty, Middle School and High School Session, Sitka, AK
La Paz International Foundation
2018 Ceramic kiln building, Usambara Mountains, Tanzania, Women's Pottery Village
Ecofiltro S.A. Guatemala
9/2012- 12/2012 Ceramic Water Filter Production Consultant
Pilchuck Glass School
2012 Summer Staff, Audio Visual Coordinator, Session 6 and 7
Penland School of Crafts
2012 Summer Studio Assistant, Mixed media on Paper
VISITING ARTIST SPEAKER
2023 Pottery NorthWest, Visiting Artist talk, Seattle, WA
2021 Bellevue Botanic Gardens, Visiting Artist Speaker, Bellevue, WA
2019 San Jose State University Ceramics Department, Visiting Artist Lecture, San Jose, CA
2018 Cabrillo College Ceramics Guild, Visiting Artist Talk, Aptos, CA
2017 Bellevue Arts Museum, Artist Panel Discussion
Future Machine: Fuel Phase, Bellevue, WA
2016 Blatchley Middle School Art Room, Sitka, AK
2014 Evergreen College, Sculptural Ceramics and The Art of Mexico, Olympia, WA
University of Washington, visiting artist talk, 3D4M Department, Seattle, WA
2012 Fotokids, visiting artist talk, Guatemala city, Guatemala
Antigua International School, visiting artist talk, Ciudad Vieja, Guatemala
2008 Martin Luther King Jr. Library, “On My Way to Managua,” San Jose, California
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS *SOLO SHOWS
2024 Precious Twin, Public Art Sculpture located in Cabrillo College, Aptos, CA
2023 Living Lineage, ArtX Contemporary Gallery, Seattle, WA
2022 Thinking with Animals, Canton Museum of Art, Canton, OH
2021 Intimate Historicities, Modern Glaze, Seattle Deconstructed ArtFair, Shoreline, WA
From The Grouund Up XXX, Juror Joshua R. Clark, Las Cruces Museum of Art, NM
El Zodiaco Familiar, Whatcom Museum, Bellingham, WA
2019 ClayFest Northwest, Pottery Northwest, Seattle, WA
2018 *Conversations with Guardians, Feast Arts Gallery, Tacoma, WA
2017 *Guardians, Warriors, and Allies, Kittredge Gallery, Tacoma, WA
Future Machine, Fuel Phase, Bellevue Art Museum, Bellevue, WA
2016 *Balance Interference, Space Works Woolworth Window #1, Tacoma, WA
2015 Bi-annual GRC Fine Art’s Faculty Exhibition, Helen S. Smith Gallery, Auburn, WA
*Dualismo, Helen S. Smith Gallery, Auburn, WA
2014 Metal-urge, Foss Waterway Seaport, Tacoma, WA
Permanent Display, Ethnic Heritage Art Gallery, Municipal Tower, Seattle, WA
*Agua es Vida, 4Culture Gallery, Seattle, WA
2013 Bi-annual GRCC Fine Art’s Faculty Exhibition, Helen S. Smith Gallery, Auburn, WA
2012 Exhibición De Esculturas: Apoyando La Beneficencia, Ecofiltro SA, Guatemala
In the Vicinity of Pilchuck, Pilchuck Glass School Gallery, Stanwood, WA
Perspectives in Art, Ethnic Heritage Art Gallery, Municipal Tower, Seattle, WA
2011 *Gustavo Martinez MFA Thesis Exhibition, CMA 3D4M North Gallery, UW, Seattle, WA
*Our Ancestors are Listening, CMA 3D4M South Gallery, UW, Seattle, WA
MFA Class of 2011 Group Exhibition, Henry Art Gallery, UW, Seattle, WA
Skull, Black Bird Studios, Las Vegas, Nevada, Curated by Chris Bauder
Zoomorphism, The Myers Gallery, Santa Ana CA, Juried by Max Rain
2010 Earth Bound City Window Gallery, City Hall San Jose CA, Curated by Kathryn Funk
Un-Wedged, Pottery Northwest Gallery, Seattle, WA, Juried by Andy Nasisse
MFA Class of 2011 1st yr. Exhibition, CMA 3D4M Gallery University of Washington, Seattle
Does Size Matter? Jacob Lawrence Gallery, UW, Seattle Juried by Sylvia Wolf
Art & Design 2010, Jacob Lawrence Gallery, UW, Seattle, juried by Eric Elliot
Master of Fine Art Class of 2011 1st yr. Exhibition Jacob Lawrence Gallery, UW, Seattle
09/07 The Chicana/o Biennial, MACLA Gallery, San Jose, CA
BIBLIOGRAPHY
2023 PublicDisplay.Art Magazine, August 2023 PublicDisplay.Art
2022 KTEP, NPR: State of the Arts: Gustavo Martinez KTEP State of the Arts
2019 We Art Tacoma Podcast Interview: “Gustavo Martinez-Sculptor” We Art Tacoma
2018 Davison, Dave: "Fear not, there are guardians amongst us” Tacoma Weekly
2017 Electric Coffin: “Future Machine, Fuel Phase” Electric Coffin Future Machine
2014 Luttikhuizen, Esther: “¡Agua es Vida!” Gallery 4Culture 4Culture Agua Es Vida
2011 Lambert, Ken: “‘Euphoria,’ Any Way You Look at It” Seattle Times
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